Premier League players are expected to take the knee again during the upcoming season after club captains discussed the issue and agreed to continue the symbolic gesture, according to Daily Mail Sport.
The move will mark another chapter in English football’s ongoing efforts to highlight racism and promote equality, although questions remain over how much impact the gesture can have several years after it first became widespread.
Gesture emerged after George Floyd’s death
Taking the knee became a prominent feature of English football in 2020 following the death of George Floyd in police custody in the United States.
Players adopted the gesture as a visible expression of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and as a protest against racial injustice.
The action quickly spread across the Premier League and other competitions, with players regularly taking the knee before matches as football sought to use its global platform to challenge discrimination.
Clubs later reduced how often players took the knee
The Premier League eventually moved away from having players perform the gesture before every match.
In August 2022, clubs consulted their players and agreed that taking the knee should instead be reserved for selected fixtures.
The gesture was subsequently incorporated into the league’s No Room for Racism campaign, allowing clubs to continue highlighting the issue while avoiding its use before every game.
October fixtures became the main focus
Last season, Premier League players took the knee twice in October as part of activities surrounding Black History Month in the UK.
The same approach is expected to continue this season, with players again likely to perform the gesture on two occasions rather than before every Premier League fixture.
The decision reflects an attempt to maintain the anti-racism message while keeping the gesture focused on specific campaigns and occasions.
Debate continues over whether taking the knee works
The return of the gesture is not without controversy.
There has been continuing debate within football over whether taking the knee remains an effective way of confronting racism or whether its significance has diminished after years of repeated use.
That discussion became particularly prominent in the Women’s Super League last season.
Most WSL clubs chose not to take the knee during Black History Month, amid concerns that the gesture no longer carried the same meaning at a time when racist incidents were continuing to increase.
Premier League expected to continue its campaign
Despite the wider debate, the agreement among Premier League captains indicates that players remain willing to use the gesture as part of the competition’s broader anti-racism message.
The decision also highlights the differing approaches being taken across English football, with some players and clubs continuing to view the gesture as an important symbol while others have questioned whether more tangible measures are needed to tackle discrimination.
The Premier League has been contacted for comment.
What happens next
Players are expected to take the knee twice during the forthcoming Premier League season, with the gesture likely to be linked to the competition’s anti-racism initiatives and October’s Black History Month activities.
The renewed display will inevitably reignite discussion about the effectiveness of symbolic protests in football and whether gestures such as taking the knee can make a meaningful difference alongside stronger action against racist abuse.
Summary
Premier League players are set to resume taking the knee after club captains discussed continuing the anti-racism gesture.
Rather than becoming a fixture before every match, it is expected to be used twice during the new season, following the approach adopted last campaign.
The decision comes as football continues to debate whether the gesture remains a powerful symbol against racism or whether greater emphasis should now be placed on direct action and enforcement.
